Overgeneral autobiographical memory as a predictor of the course of depression: A meta-analysis

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Abstract

Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is a robust phenomenon in depression, but the extent to which OGM predicts the course of depression is not well-established. This meta-analysis synthesized data from 15 studies to examine the degree to which OGM 1) correlates with depressive symptoms at follow-up, and 2) predicts depressive symptoms at follow-up over and above initial depressive symptoms. Although the effects are small, specific and categoric/overgeneral memories generated during the Autobiographical Memory Test significantly predicted the course of depression. Fewer specific memories and more categoric/overgeneral memories were associated with higher follow-up depressive symptoms, and predicted higher follow-up symptoms over and above initial symptoms. Potential moderators were also examined. The age and clinical depression status of participants, as well as the length of follow-up between the two depressive symptom assessments, significantly moderated the predictive relationship between OGM and the course of depression. The predictive relationship between specific memories and follow-up depressive symptoms became greater with increasing age and a shorter length of follow-up, and the predictive relationship was stronger for participants with clinical depression diagnoses than for nonclinical participants. These findings highlight OGM as a predictor of the course of depression, and future studies should investigate the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

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Consideration of moderator variables

Several variables could moderate the relationship between OGM and the course of depression. Thus, we had a secondary goal of examining two classes of potential moderators: characteristics of the sample and characteristics of the study design. Given that there is little research on this issue, many of these analyses are preliminary exploratory investigations, although the potential moderator variables we chose to examine are relevant from a theoretical standpoint.

Summary

This meta-analytic review had several aims. First, the main goal was to examine the overall relationship between OGM and the course of depression. This was done by examining whether OGM: 1) is correlated with a measure of depressive symptoms at follow-up, and 2) predicts depressive symptoms at follow-up over and above initial levels of depressive symptoms. Second, several characteristics of the sample and study design were examined as potential moderators of the predictive relationship between

Assessment of OGM

In the current review, two operational definitions of OGM were used: the number of specific memories and the number of categoric/overgeneral memories. In Conway and Pleydell-Pearce’s (2000) hierarchy of autobiographical memory, different levels reflect more general knowledge (such as that at the level of lifetime periods or general events) and more event-specific knowledge. They propose that during the strategic retrieval of a specific memory, individuals move from the more general levels of

Sample of studies

A computerized search of electronic databases was conducted using the following key word terms: autobiographical memory specificity, overgeneral autobiographical memory, and autobiographical memory and depression. These terms were entered into the following databases from the beginning point of each database through December 2008: PsycINFO, PubMed, Social Sciences Abstracts, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Web of Science was also searched for references citing the seminal article by

Characteristics of the studies

The studies in this review were published between 1993 and 2008 (median year of publication = 2004), and consisted mainly of published data (13 journal articles, 1 unpublished dissertation, and 1 unpublished report). Most studies used samples from a clinical population with a psychiatric diagnosis (n = 9) or from a nonclinical population (e.g., college students, pregnant women from the community; n = 5). One additional study included assault survivors with and without psychiatric diagnoses. Samples

Overview of the results

Although the OGM phenomenon in depression is clearly well-established (van Vreeswijk and de Wilde, 2004, Williams et al., 2007), inconsistencies in the literature have left the predictive relationship between OGM and change in depressive symptoms over time as a matter of debate. Thus, the primary goal of this meta-analysis was to investigate the degree to which OGM predicts the course of depression in order to better elucidate the reliability and magnitude of this predictive relationship.

We

Conclusions and future directions

The results of this systematic quantitative review suggest that there is a small but reliable relationship between OGM and the course of depression. In terms of the clinical relevance of this relationship, the effects are small. This might lead some to question whether interventions aimed at increasing autobiographical memory specificity are warranted. However, given that only approximately half of all patients respond to any one intervention for depression and that only approximately one third

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Larry Hedges for his help and guidance with this meta-analysis. We also extend thanks to the following authors who sent us requested data and statistical information: Anke Ehlers, Elise Debeer, Alison Hipwell, Birgit Kleim, Ismay Kremers, Max Leibetseder, Herbert Mackinger, Stephanie Rude, and Philip Spinhoven. We would also like to thank the National Institutes of Health for supporting our research (Grant# R01MH065652 to Dr. Mineka).

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  • Cited by (0)

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    Present address: Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.

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    References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the meta-analysis.

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